Chicago Photographer | Our Little Puppy…
Before moving to Chicago we lived in beautiful, sunny Santa Barbara. Today the high in my little California beach town will be 70 degrees, what?!? The 15th of January and a high if 70 degrees, that is just wrong and so terribly unfair. This is my first real winter and today our high is going to be a whopping 24 degrees. Why, oh why did we move to this ridiculously cold? That is an entirely different story, for an entirely different post. This entry is about our poor little puppy…. Well our poor giant puppy I should say.
Santa Barbara has many, many things I miss terribly: beautiful weather almost year round, my friends and family, the beach, my old job, avocados, in-and-out, and the list could literally go on and on. One of our favorite things to do with Benny (our giant German Shorthaired Pointer), that we haven’t quite found a replacement for, was go to the various off-leash dog parks in Santa Barbara. We are talking about acres of trails that are designated for you and your dog to run free on the edge of the ocean. There are only two problems with these sanctuaries, the occasional aggressive dog (or human) that shouldn’t be there and the ever-present foxtails. Some dogs are lucky enough to never have an issue with them. I, of course, figured we would never have a problem… I was wrong. When Benny was about 6 months old he got two foxtails up his nose and we had no idea that anything was wrong until he started sneezing blood. It was awful and scary and quite disgusting. Now, a year and a half later, we have found ourselves in the middle of a battle with another foxtail.
About three months ago, Benny’s neck swelled up to be the size of grapefruit within two hours. We went to the vet and he had a bacterial infection that had caused his lymph node to swell tremendously. He got antibiotics and after 10 days (and a drive across the country!) the lump was almost gone. Awesome! It stayed about the size of a quarter for a week then, BOOM, baseball! So we took him back to the vet… told him the story he prescribed us 20 days worth of antibiotics – we were going to overpower this infection. However, he was very concerned about what caused the infection in the first placed. We didn’t know, no one knew…We gave Benny all of the antibiotics and again it shrank down to about the size of a quarter. We waited, we watched and after about a week of no antibiotics, you guessed it, it was back.
So, off to the vet again. This time we were lucky enough to see a visiting doctor who had worked in California for years. She began talking about cases of foxtails and that there could be one in his throat that is causing the infection to keep recurring. I was a little skeptical, because when the initial incident happened we hadn’t been to the dog park for weeks and it wasn’t really “foxtail season.” She then assured me that a foxtail could be stuck somewhere for years before causing an issue. Okay, the next step was an X-ray to see if an air pocket could be seen in the center of the mass (we should have skipped this $180 step and just gotten surgery). Hmmmm, inconclusive. The next step exploratory surgery.
Luckily, the surgery was a success and they did find the culprit, which was indeed a foxtail. Benny has a stretch of stitches along his neck and a tube that is draining the rest of the fluid from the mass. He is on pain medication and has to be limited to only short walks to relieve himself, no running or playing for 14 days!!! For those that know Benny, you know this is going to be an incredibly difficult two weeks. Anyways, sorry for the long post and please be careful around foxtails. It can happen to anyone, or anydog. =)
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Chicago Family Photography | Win A Complimentary Session
We recently moved to Chicago and it has been COLD and is only going to get COLDER! To celebrate our move (and to keep me well fed and warm) we are holding a contest for a complimentary portrait session! “Sounds lovely,” you say…
Well all you have to do is email me (julia@julia-franzosa.com) and tell me your favorite holiday recipe. It can be anything from your great grandmother’s famous fudge to a new stuffing recipe you just found on epicurious. We plan to have a New Year’s Day feast, so all entries must be received by December 31st at midnight. The favorite dish, dessert or drink chosen will be the winner of a complimentary session, one artist’s choice matted 8×10, and 20% any additional prints or products. The runner-ups will receive a prize as well.
And since no post is complete without a family portrait:
Again, to win a complimentary portrait session email me your favorite holiday recipe to be entered!
* The fine print: Portrait sessions must take place in Chicago, IL before June 1st, 2011. Prizes cannot be combined with special offers or promotions, redeemed for cash, or transfered in any way. Any other questions please don’t hesitate to ask! Good luck and may the best recipe win!
Chicago Photographer
Chicago Photographer, Julia Franzosa, has opened Chicago’s premier on-location photography studio. Julia’s style is best explained as simplistic and honest. Her goal is to capture the essence of your child, the bond within your family, and the moments of life that you want preserved. Julia believes that photographs are more than just images, they are a way to freeze time and capture the moment of life. The portraits of your children will be priceless for a lifetime.
You can view all of our galleries through the above menu or the following highlighted text. Julia has the ability to capture the fresh innocence and absolute wonder of your new baby, newborn photography is recommended to be captured in the first 10 days of life. Our baby photography is for babies 3 months and older, it is the perfect time to capture their first smiles and adorable rolls! Along with newborns and babies, Julia is also an award winning children’s photographer and one of the top Chicago family photographers.
A note from Julia: Thank you very much for coming to enjoy my portrait and wedding photography. As a photographer in Chicago it has been a joy to discover new photographic places on a daily basis! Our portrait session can be held in any Chicago neighborhood and most surrounding suburbs and I usually suggest a location where your children are most comfortable. I am a family photographer, child photographer, newborn photographer, but most importantly will be your photographer! Every person and family is unique and I know the relevance of a perfect fit. I am really looking forward to working with you!
Chicago Newborn Photographer | Newborn Delight Special
Chicago newborn photography special! We are currently holding a special promotion for my favorite miniature subjects; newborns! I LOVE NEWBORNS! I want one of my own, not just to photograph nonstop ;) but to watch a beautiful little human grow before my eyes. It is truly the most amazing thing. In celebration of my love for newborns and my current inability to have one of my own I am having a promotion.
All newborn sessions held before March 31st are eligible for this promotion. The promotion, “Newborn Delight,” is $995 and includes the newborn session fee and 15 fully edited digital files ready to be printed 8×10 and smaller. If your due date is before March 31st book this wonderful promotion while it lasts!
Newborn Delight – $995
Includes complete Newborn photography session in the Chicagoland area
An online gallery of 15-25 images
A disc of 15 fully retouched digital files, sized to print 8×10 and smaller
15% off any additional products
*Due Dates must be on or before March 31st, when the promotion ends. There are only a limited number of Newborn Delight Specials, book your Chicago Newborn Photographer asap!*